Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

Two full weeks had passed since that unforgettable mobilization, and the legions of the Teotihuacan City-State were finally fully assembled. The dry season had ended, and the rainy season was not yet upon us, so the cool breeze had become moist and the warm sunshine remained as comfortable as ever.

The south of the city had been transformed into a massive military camp. During this period, Xiulote watched his father meet with hereditary noblemen involved in the war, exchange courtesies, make small talk, dine together, make promises, and then exchange gifts. He also saw him spar with the elite samurai, embrace them, boast, praise, and test their martial arts before finally drinking tequila to intoxication.

Xiuxoke occasionally received representatives of the civic militia, resolved disputes, and demonstrated his authority. Over time, a military leadership group centered around Xiuxoke finally took shape, and the newly established battalion of eight thousand men could be somewhat clumsily commanded.

The Aztec military organization was based on squads of twenty, with a squad leader at the core. Then, in increments of twenty, units of 200, 400, 800 men were formed, all the way up to the ultimate military unit of eight thousand men, the Xiquipilli, measuring the final martial power of all city-states.

Under the tireless suggestions of Xiulote, Xiuxoke eventually divided the legions into ten camps, each with around 800 men. As for the exact numbers, other than Xiulote, no one could count them accurately.

Out of the ten camps, five elite camps came from urban communities, mainly composed of formally trained samurai, including veterans of the Fourth Level war ranks, such as Eagle Warriors and Jaguar warriors, all gathered in one veteran soldiers' camp. They had sufficient ability to use javelins. This was the core of the legion's combat power. Naturally, the Camp Commander of the veterans' camp was the most trusted Head Warrior, Olosh.

The remaining five were civilian camps, composed of conscripted militia from subordinate villages, most of whom only had rudimentary training. A part of the warriors with experience in using slings for hunting were all gathered in one sling camp, while the other four were close combat camps.

On this day, the fully reorganized legions finally assembled in the training field of the military camp. The priests held aloft the banners of the gods, maintaining order at the scene together with nobles of all levels. The samurai gathered by camps, forming circular formations of uneven sizes.

Xiuxoke, wearing resplendent war attire, stood at the most conspicuous spot, surrounded by noble officers from each camp. Together, they looked proudly over their "great army," openly expressing their eagerness for battle.

Xiulote, accompanied by Acap, his new bodyguard and assistant sent by his grandfather, visited the camps under the guise of a priest.

The first camp was the veterans' camp. The seasoned samurai wore yellow or green leather armor, donned red and yellow capes, and wore beast-shaped helmets. In one hand they held shields, and in the other, they swung clubs, the obsidian blades on both sides of the war clubs gleaming sharply in the sunlight. Most of them carried a javelin on their back, with a javelin thrower tucked at their waist.

The veterans stood naturally, their formation automatically taking on an open combat formation. With relaxed expressions and the indifference of those who had faced life and death, they effortlessly swung their war clubs with practiced finesse. Xiulote circled twice, counting more than two hundred intimidating Eagle and Jaguar heads.

"So it turns out we only have two hundred Jaguar and Eagle warriors," Xiulote sighed in disappointment. "This is a bit far from the legion I had imagined. I thought we could have a whole legion of Jaguars and Eagles!"

"Eight thousand Jaguar warriors?!" Acap chuckled lightly, "All the city-states of the Mexica combined probably couldn't muster that many. The capital's three cities could perhaps pull together a little over two thousand Jaguars and Eagles, plus more than five hundred 'hair cutters,' and that's enough for any king to intimidate many city-states. Remember, both the Jaguar and Eagle battalions are elite military nobility of the Alliance!"

"Alright then. We'll have Eagles, and we'll have Jaguars," Xiulote began to take mental notes. "Veterans' camp, the trump card, sword/club and shield soldiers, one javelin, leather medium armor, high morale, average discipline, intimidating to regular troops. Excellent assault infantry." He used a familiar method of assessment, which helped him quickly understand the strength of the troops.

Next, the second to fifth camps were the elite camps. Depending on their wealth, various samurai wore leather armor or war clothes, some even donned capes. Most of the warriors wore pointed helmets, the same Obsidian clubs, and leather round shields. The faces of the newly promoted samurai showed assorted excitations and fantasies about battle.

Amidst the somewhat disorderly troops, Xiulote saw two familiar faces, one smiling warmly at him and the other offering a stiff smile.

"Elite camps, elite, sword/club and shield soldiers, half leather light armor, average morale, poor discipline. Close combat infantry that maintains battle lines, with a somewhat low rate of armor coverage. Okay, that's acceptable."

Then, the sixth to the ninth civilian camps. These villagers' militia were much more poorly equipped. Most were bare-chested, with only a small number wearing war clothes. Stone spears, wooden spears, stone clubs, a wide variety of weapons, and the prevalence of shields were also a problem, with only a few leaders having standard clubs and shields.

The militia from the village excitedly talked to each other, creating a noisy environment in the camp. Perhaps they all shared the same passion for combat, but such untrained zeal would soon be ground down by enemy forces or harsh conditions.

"Commoners' camp, ordinary, short spear soldiers, dressed in plain clothes without armor, low morale, no discipline," Xiulote said, hand to his forehead. "What use are these armed men? Cannon fodder to fill the battle lines? Without banding together, they simply cannot hold. Perhaps after improving discipline, we could consider long spears and light infantry?"

The tenth Javelin Throwing Camp gave Xiulote some fresh insights.

These seasoned hunters held a long rope, pinching the ends between two fingers. Then they would vigorously twirl the rope, causing the rock at its center to accelerate and produce a whizzing sound. Relying on their feeling and experience, at the right angle, they would release a finger, unfurling the rope and 'whoosh,' launch the rounded stone out, kicking up clouds of dust on the training field.

The accuracy of the stone-throwers was moving, and their collective firepower was considerable, especially against opponents without armor or only in light armor. Sadly, although the equipment was simple, it would still take years to master.

"Stone-throwing camp, ordinary, stone-throwing soldiers, dressed in plain clothes without armor, low morale, no discipline. A range attack unit requiring terrain support, striking at enemy morale," Xiulote could only accept the presence of this sole ranged unit. As for the hunters' simple short bows, after Xiulote tried shooting a few wooden arrows, he felt hopeless about their range and power.

"Why are our archers so weak?" Xiulote asked, puzzled.

"Bows and arrows are inherently weak. Only members of weak tribes would use such powerless weapons," Acap stated as if it were obvious. "Hmm, that's not entirely true. The Tlaxcalans have a type of bow that almost reaches the height of a person, with copper arrowheads, capable of penetrating a layer of cotton armor within fifty steps. Our samurai have been ambushed many times by the despicable Tlaxcalans."

"Fifty steps to penetrate cotton armor sounds quite impressive. We could also form such an archer unit, effective ranged troops are very important in some terrains," he said.

"Ranged sneak attacks are not the way of the samurai, nor can they capture prisoners. Without prisoners, there is no promotion, so Mexica warriors prefer close combat and do not like using bows and arrows," Acap laughed.

"Of course, there's also the fact that common craftsmen lack the skill to make bows. The wood for bow-making needs to be prepared for a long time, and archery likewise requires lengthy practice. Some chiefs might have a decorative bow, but that's far from enough to form a unit. Besides, the Tlaxcalan bow has a very short range, and its power cannot surpass that of a javelin, and it's still limited in the damage it can do to samurai's leather or cotton armor."

"Where do the Tlaxcalans get their materials and techniques?" The youth was only interested in the technology. In his view, archers and cavalry were indispensable components of an army, irreplaceable for their tactical roles. Since there was no way to have cavalry for now, he still had to form an archer unit.

"Who knows what crafts they have? They worship the God of the Hunt, Mixcoatl, and have always had numerous bowyers. The leather, silk thread, bone glue, and wood they use are likely either self-produced or come from trade with coastal Nava people or Mayan merchants, those Mayan merchants have many sources for goods. But no matter, without bows and arrows, our warriors can still sweep the world."

"Sweep the world? Indeed, for now. But in the future, the world may sweep us," Xiulote thought with a wry smile.

Long spears, bows and arrows, leather armor, Xiulote seriously considered the legion's flaws and potential improvements. Overall, the political structure of the Mexica city-states resembled that of the early Greek city-states, or perhaps the fifty lords during the Western Zhou Dynasty. While the military equipment and organizational levels barely maintained those of the Spring and Autumn period of the Wu and Yue rivalry, only their military mobilization capabilities had reached the level of the Warring States period of the Qin Dynasty.

"No cavalry, no archers, no heavy infantry, we're still centuries away from the Roman legions or the grand formations of the Qin army. Europe has already entered the era of matchlock guns and plate armor," Xiulote looked up at the sky as Acap also looked for something novel in the sky.

"Metals, we only have copper mines. Copper spears, copper armor, heavy infantry, Macedonian phalanx," Xiulote's eyes lit up, then dimmed again, the only known copper mines being in Tarasco hands.

"A heavy burden and a long road," Xiulote murmured a phrase that no one else understood, "fortunately, I still have time."

Just then, a messenger hurriedly arrived from the southern gate, bringing a message, "The King's grand army has already set out from the capital!"